Alice had her Wonderland, Dorothy had her Oz
And I have Worcester, Massachusetts. I am the winner!
There is nothing magical about illusions and trickery;
But engaging with fellow poets from so many places
Is a communion infused with wonder and acclaim,
For I have made acquaintance with the wizardry of
Baseball poetry and I will never be the same. My
Good friend Dorothy found herself in a faux homeland
While I have joyously resided in the land of giants
Who share willingly their images and thoughts and
Carefully communicate their visions of that grand and
Lovely game of baseball. I do not need a magic potion
Or a fierce tornado to appreciate the words of fellow lovers
Of the verse and theme songs of the only game in town.
My fellow poets come from many lands and share their
Themes and creativity so willingly that that which is
Termed a Festival is so much more a Feast, a meal
Of lyrics and epics fit for a god. I have seen the light
And have dwelled in rainbow kisses from my kin, and
I know everyone will win when we hear songs of fields
And action and companionship and resolution. We are
A family connected by the flow of words and images
That feed imaginations and we hug each other with
Phrases that portray games and players past, people
Worshiped in our youth and residing in our ever-
Present collective consciousness. Welcome to the
Magic Land called Worcester, home of Casey and his
Eternal struggle to win the game and the hearts of
Fans prepared to worship him. Welcome to the
Destination of an epic journey that wordsmiths dream
About and a camaraderie that knows no bound, be it
Gender, age, religion, politics, . . . for baseball is a true
American pastime that invites everyone to play or
Watch or listen to . . . or write about! The Festival which
Every year celebrates the wonder of this union of sport
And thought is a miracle itself, and thus each year
That I set off on pilgrimage to the electric Land of
Worcester, I conjure up the spirits of the game and
Muster all the essence that resides in all of us to once
Again sing together in a fantasy land soundly set
In our American reality.
THE POETRY OF THE GAME